LITERARY MIXTAPE | TESS OF THE D’UBERVILLES

Do you ever want a modern soundtrack to literary fiction? Yes? Me too. That’s the point of this feature. Whereas some people imagine cinematic montages in their head, I create a soundtrack.

Okay, so I actually do both, but I prefer to share my soundtrack.

Today’s mixtape features one of my favorite controversial English literature staples: Tess of the D’Ubervilles. Although it is not my favorite novel by Thomas Hardy (that would be Return of the Native), I do enjoy all of the tragedy featured in this particular story. Consider this my contribution to the lost art of the mixed tape, with a classic literature twist*.

You, and those like you, take your fill of pleasure on earth by making the life of such as me bitter and black with sorrow; and then it is a fine thing, when you have had enough of that, to think of securing your pleasure in heaven by becoming converted!

In the ill-judged execution of the well-judged plan of things the call seldom produces the comer, the man to love rarely coincides with the hour for loving. Nature does not often say “See!” to her poor creature at a time when seeing can lead to happy doing; or reply “Here!” to a body’s cry of “Where?” till the hide-and-seek has become an irksome, outworn game. We may wonder whether at the acme and summit of the human progress these anachronisms will be corrected by a finer intuition, a close interaction of the social machinery than that which now jolts us round and along; but such completeness is not to be prophesied, or even conceived as possible.

Thus, the thing began. Had she perceived this meeting’s import she might have asked why she was doomed to be seen and coveted that day by the wrong man, and not by some other man, the right and desired one in all respects…

Their position was perhaps the happiest of all positions in the social scale, being above the line at which neediness ends, and below the line at which the convenances begin to cramp natural feeling, and the stress of threadbare modishness makes too little of enough.

O why have you treated me so monstrously, Angel! I do not deserve it. I have thought it all over carefully, and I can never, never forgive you! You know that I did not intend to wrong you – why have you so wronged me? You are cruel, cruel indeed! I will try to forget you. It is all injustice I have received at your hands!

So there you have it. One modern soundtrack for the tale of a fallen woman in Victorian society. As usual, feel free to contribute – if you’re so inclined. Also, please feel free to share your favorite Thomas Hardy novel. If you haven’t read one, what are you doing here? I’m only kidding, though I do want to know how you plan to rectify that.

*If you’re reading this in real time (meaning Monday, February 3rd), do know that I am actually contributing to society today. I have jury duty. This is my third summons in five years. Ridiculous. Wish me luck and impartiality.